The Historic Jackson Covered Bridge in New Hampshire is sometimes referred to as the Honeymoon Bridge.
Jackson, New Hampshire, has been considered a resort or vacation destination since the mid-nineteenth century and has a covered bridge well suited to that crowd. The Jackson Covered Bridge may be one of the most photographed bridges in the country, and in fact, has been photographed by the Anheuser Busch Company with the Clydesdales Horses riding through the bridge. It’s sometimes referred to as the Honeymoon Bridge.
The single span Jackson Covered Bridge in New Hampshire.
Facing the Jackson Covered Bridge.
There may be some uncertainty as to exactly when the town built the bridge, but a sign at the location states it was 1876. The bridge uses a Paddleford truss structure with arches, as can be seen in the interior photograph. It includes a single pedestrian walkway separated from the main vehicular path. The bridge spans the beautifuly rocky Ellis River.
A view inside the Jackson Covered Bridge at the single span Paddleford truss with arches.
Looking down at the Ellis River from the end of the Jackson Covered Bridge.
As is sometimes the case, it has required repair work over the years, both to deal with damage caused by crashes and just the general wear and tear of wooden structures. It underwent a major renovation in 2003 with much of the bridge being reconstructed to deal with rot and decay, though some of the boards with historic carvings were preserved and reinstalled. After the renovation was completed in 2004 the town held a “Once in a Blue Moon” dance on the bridge to celebrate the reopening.
The Jackson Covered Bridge is number 51 in the New Hampshire list of covered bridges. We visited this bridge on June 22nd, 2025. Click here to see the list of covered bridges we visited while traveling through New Hampshire in mid-2025.
I was fortunate to get smiles from a couple bikers driving through the Jackson Covered Bridge.
Resources
Most of the details within this post were learned either from signs at the bridge or from the fantastic book, Covered Bridges of New Hampshire by Kim Varney Chandler, which I purchased from a small local shop in Lincoln while on our trip. It’s well worth it if you plan to visit the area or are just interested in covered bridges and their history and construction. The link takes you to the author’s website for the book with lots of extra information and with links to let you purchase directly from her.
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